XMen: A New Generation
by Marisa Cammon
Summary: Although this story is along the same storyline as XMen Evolution, it's all my own characters and ideas. However, there are some similarites and i do mention characters and events from Evolution here and there. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Nightwolf and Evergreen

Chapter One: Nightwolf and Evergreen

Living in my own world, didn't understand

That anything can happen, when you take a chance

I never believed in, what I couldn't see

I never opened my heart, oh, to all the possibilities, yeah

I know, that something has changed, never felt this way

And right here tonight, this could be the…

Start, of something new, if feels so right, to be here with you, oh

And now, looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart, the start of something new, oh yeah

Now who'd of ever thought that, we'd both be here tonight, oh yeah

And the world looks so much brighter, brighter, brighter

Oh, with you by my side, by my side

I know, that something has changed, never felt this way

I know it for real, this could be the…

Start, of something new, if feels so right, to be here with you, oh

And now, looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart, the start of something new

I never knew that it could happen until it happened to me, oh yeah

I didn't know it before, but now it's easy to see

It's the start, of something new, if feels so right, to be here with you, oh

Well now, looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart, that it's the…

Start, of something new, it feels so right, to be here with you, oh

And now, looking in your eyes, I feel in my heart, the start of something new

The start of something new

"Start of Something New", High School Musical

The moon shone brilliantly in the night sky as a teenage girl ran through the alleyways. A boy huffed and puffed as he skidded to a stop in front of the girl, who was now trapped at the end of the alley. The boy, who had messy, dirty blonde hair smiled and looked at the girl, stretching out his hand.

"Come now Danielle, you're one of us…I saw what you did to Cyclone when he tried to force you to join our team…but I understand you…," smirked the blonde haired boy. "Come with me…you're trapped anyway…I've chased you right into a dead end."

The girl looked at the boy and then smiled. "Actually, you walked right into my trap…"

She smiled again and raised her arms horizontally at her sides, her hands glowing with a black aura. The boy realized what she was doing and broke into a run towards her. He was too late as her whole body was wrapped in the black aura and she faded away into the creeping shadows around her.

(break)

"So you guys live at the Academy too?" asked a sixteen-year-old girl with brown, mid-back length hair. She wore a pair of pale, smooth jeans, a pair of brown and pink running shoes and a pink tank top. She had two piercing in each ear, and had on pair of small hoop earrings and a pair of small purple earrings.

"Yes we do Zoey, as do many other people like you and me," answered a woman with wavy, dark brown, shoulder-length hair. She wore a white, ankle-length skirt with tons of pleats, a light purple blouse with a pale flower pattern and white sandals that had a small heel. She smiled sweetly at Zoey as they sat in a car, driving back to the Delvar Academy.

"What are your powers?"

"Well, I can project images of anything I feel like, illusions of sorts," she replied, concentrating for a moment. The next moment, Zoey looked in the mirror and the image reflected in it was not of herself, but of her mother, then her father, then her older brother, then her younger brother and finally, their dog Lucky. Zoey giggled as her image changed every time and then finally, she was herself again.

"That was so cool! Oh I'd love to have powers like yours!"

"Well I think your powers are just as special Zoey."

"Really?"

"Of course! You have the ability to make not only a plant, but any kind of vegetation grow, shrink, imitate someone or something, create a cage around your enemies and many more things."

There was a long silence as they drove on until Zoey took a deep breath and decided to ask Professor the one question that had been burning in her mind for quite some time now.

"Um…Professor Willows…"

"Please, call me Cari."

"Ok, Cari. Umm…I know I'm going to the Academy because I can learn to control my powers and stuff…but that isn't all is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I heard you talking to my mom and dad and…you guys also want me to help you find my sister Danielle don't you?"

"Well…yes…she ran away from your household how long ago?"

"Um…three weeks…is she going to come to the Academy as well?"

"That's what we're hoping for…you see; out on the run like this she's…"

"In danger?"

"Not really, she's more of a danger to others than they are to her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's these three boys, they're mutants as well but…they don't come to the Academy, they prefer to follow a man named Terrance who's ideals are to fight against the humans and make the world a place for mutants only…"

"What can Terrance do…his powers I mean?"

"Well Terrance is actually Professor Delvar's younger brother so he has telepathic powers like the Professor, only not as strong. You see, Terrance wasn't happy just having weak telepathy so he experimented on himself and now…well now he is not to be angered because he can turn into a terrible creature at will…"

"Wow…so his plans…he's trying to do what that Magneto guy did a couple of years ago…I forget where it was…"

"Yes, like him. Anyway, he's also trying to 'recruit' mutants but not in the same way as we are at the Academy. He wants to use their powers for his own benefits and at the moment, he's been sending those boys after your sister."

"Ok, so you said she's a danger to others…why is that? I mean I know her powers have been in and out of her control but…she's never hurt anyone."

"Well that's probably because she's never felt threatened before. Three days ago, Professor Zachary Smith, a good friend of mine who's also at the Academy, found one of the three boys in an alleyway downtown. His name is Jeffrey Spencer, though he prefers to go as Cyclone, and he was a wreck. He had been chasing your sister that day and had finally found her. He said that his orders were to convince her to join the Rebel Mutants but…she angered him and he tried to bring her by force. Your sister didn't like being threatened and forced to join their team and so she used her powers against him," revealed Cari.

"So what happened to him?"

"She trapped his mind in a place of darkness and shadows, where he was haunted by non-stop nightmares. It took hours to bring him back to his normal state and to get rid of the shadow that held him. He took off though, after telling us what had happened and he returned to Terrence and the other boys."

"Whoa…I didn't know my sister could actually do that…I mean the worst she's ever done when her powers are a mess is drown the house shadows and then she had a major headache because she could hear everyone's thoughts."

"Well that's why we need to find her, and invite her here, to the Academy," stated Cari as a large gate opened and they drove down the long driveway, past the courts and training grounds, past the large Delvar Academy mansion and to the garage, where tons of different vehicles and were parked.

The two got out of the car and grabbed Zoey's bags, bringing them into the house where Professor Zachary Smith greeted her. He had very short bleach blonde hair and deep green eyes, and his skin seemed to be tinted green a little.

"Hello Zoey," he said, smiling sweetly.

"Hi," she smiled back, intrigued by his green-tinted skin.

"My powers allow me change into a fish man, I grow gills, webbed hands and my skin becomes deep green scales, it doesn't all go away when I return to normal," he said, answering the question in Zoey's mind.

After showing her to her room and helping with her things, Cari directed her to Professor Delvar's office. He explained his ideas to find her sister and she agreed, asking to leave as soon as they could.

(break)

The small room was dark and depressing as a red-haired girl stood at her window, gazing up at the stars. She looked down to the driveway of the small, broken down house and looked at the car parked there. She'd noticed it as it pulled in but hadn't paid much attention to it. Using the shadows around her, she sensed the presence of three people, a man, a woman and a teenage girl, heading around the back of the house. A black aura wrapped around her and she disappeared through the shadows at her feet.

Outside at the back, Cari, Zoey and Zachary looked at the small, broken down house curiously.

"This is where she is?" asked Zoey doubtfully.

"Professor Delvar said this is where his mind directed him to, and his telepathic powers don't lie," shrugged Zachary.

"Well I guess we should go in and talk to her…" said Zoey.

"Entering someone's house without permission isn't like you Zo," said a voice from behind them. The three turned around to face a girl with cool crystal blue eyes and dark red hair that was layered around her face. She wore a pair of black cargo pants, black and white skater shoes and a white tank top with a thick, sky blue, zipper hoodie on top.

"Danielle!" cried Zoey, hugging her sister tightly. She then proceeded to explain to her sister the many things she had been told that afternoon about the Academy and about the places set there for the two of them. "So come one sis, you've been away from home for three weeks on your own now…please come back to the Academy with me…"

Danielle thought about it for a moment then smiled at her sister. "Fine,"

"Aww Danielle, you'd really rather hang with them and become some sort of perfectly controlled snob student instead of hanging out with me, the guys and just have some fun," said a very relaxed voice. A seventeen-year-old boy stepped out of one the shadows a large tree was creating. His deep blue eyes were fixed on Danielle. He wore loose, dark blue jeans with torn knees, a red hoodie with an Anarchy sign on the front and underneath the hoodie was a navy blue t-shirt that said "…why are you telling me this if you know I'm not listening?" and. He had on black skater shoes, a blue wristband on his right wrist and a black one on his left wrist. His hair was quite messy, medium length and chestnut brown. In addition, he wore red and orange-rimmed goggles on his head.

"Danielle is that-?"

"Darius!" cried Danielle, looking at the boy incredulously. She started towards him and stopped mid-speech. "Darius what are you- wait, you're with them aren't you?"

He smirked and nodded.

"But…why? Terrance is only trying to cause destruction and pain to the humans, the people that actually accept us for who we are…," asked Danielle.

"Look I'm not here to talk about me; I'm here for you, under invite by Terrence that I think you should accept..."

"Darius come on…this is stupid…I haven't seen you in two years and all you want to do is follow orders of some weirdo…"

"Danielle, the first time he sent Cyclone, he tried to bring you in by threatening you…then he sent Jeremiah, I mean Sparks, he tried to play the part of sympathy and understanding and that didn't work. I have orders, and I have a choice…I don't want to hurt you Danielle…" he said slowly, taking a step towards Danielle. Suddenly, a large, thick vine shot out of the tree beside the group and wrapped around Darius, trapping him and holding him in the air.

"Darius! Zoey don't!" pleaded Danielle, whipping around to face her sister.

"Danielle we have to go know…," stated Cari, placing a hand on the red head's shoulder.

"But…Darius…he's my friend…my closest friend…I can't just leave him like this and let him go back to Terrance and the others…" said Danielle sadly.

"You'll see him again…" smiled Zachary reassuringly. Zoey focused her mind and her powers and only let Darius go from the vine's grasp when they were far enough away.

(break)

Two days later, Danielle and Zoey stood in the Danger Room, staring at the large, grey tiled walls.

"So what exactly is this place?" asked Zoey, turning to Cari and Zachary.

"It's called the Danger Room. It's a place where we create a virtual training ground that's very realistic and is used to train our powers both individually and in teamwork. So which of you wants to go first?" smiled Zachary.

Zoey shrunk away, as if trying not to be seen. Danielle confidently stepped forward and stared around the room, then to Cari and Zachary.

"You ready?" asked Cari politely.

"I volunteered didn't I?" Cari nodded and she, Zachary and Zoey walked over to the safe marked zone. As Cari pressed a button on a panel beside her, the grey tiled room around them swirled into a large forest. A large robot that stood high above the trees was tearing and burning them down as it walked on. Many tents, cars and trailers were destroyed and smashed, strewn around the forest floor.

The robot stomped towards Danielle, having just noticed her, destroying everything in it's path. Danielle nimbly dodged left and right, causing the giant robot to miss her every time. After a few more minutes of this, she raised her right hand and a black aura wrapped itself around a huge tree to the right of the robot. Then she flicked her hand leftwards and the tree fell, tripping the robot and causing it to fall as well, right on top of Danielle. She reacted quickly and a semi-transparent black dome formed itself around her, forcing the falling robot's body to bounce off and land to her right.

Before it could regain it's strength, get up and attack once more, Danielle jumped away from the dome, causing it to disappear, and onto the robot's head. Her body was wrapped in a black aura and she transformed into a shifty black shadow wolf that plunged into the robot's head, chewing and messing up the wiring.

The robot defeated and the simulation completed, the Danger Room returned to normal and Danielle stood triumphantly in the middle.

"You both passed with flying colors!" cried Cari-Anne happily later, after Zoey had taken her turn and defeated a giant spider rampaging through a national park.

"Well what does that mean?" asked Danielle sceptically.

"That means that you two are the very first junior students to become part of the New X-Men team," replied Zachary.

"Dude does that mean we get to pick cool nicknames?" exclaimed Danielle excitedly.

"Yes but remember they have to have something to do with your powers," answered Cari-Anne happily. "For example, I can create illusions and my codename is Mirage, and Zachary has the abilities of a fish man, so his codename is Aquarius…"

"Well mine's gonna be Nightwolf…because I have the control over darkness and my favourite creature to create a shadow being of or become is a wolf..."

"I don't know what mine will be…," mumbled Zoey shyly.

"I know!" cried Danielle. "How about Evergreen?"

As Zoey nodded in agreement, Professor Delvar watched from his upper office, smiling.

"Nightwolf and Evergreen…the first of the New X-Men generation…"

_Author's Notes  
Ok this is my first chapter and I know nothing 'big' happens but that's 'cuz it's just to recruit the first two team members and set the first pace. Hope you like it, comments are welcome!_


	2. Chapter 2: Never A Foe, Always A Friend

Chapter Two: Never a Foe, Always a Friend

We'll go where there's lights out, the night's out, there's starlight anyway

Maybe we'll find out, I'll catch you, before you run away

I can feel, my heart out loud, like a radio, without a sound

Are you waiting for a new morning, are you waiting for my hands on your skin

If you waiting for what might have been, I'll stay awake

While you close your eyes and I'll just drive, I'll just drive

Maybe somewhere, there's nowhere better than right now

We are like windows, jet planes, high above the clouds

Like dreams of crush, like dreams go by, rain clouds fall, of you and I

Are you waiting for a new morning, are you waiting for my hands on your skin

If you waiting for what might have been, I'll stay awake

You close your eyes and I'll stay awake, with you, one more night

With you, one more dream

Are you waiting for a new morning, are you waiting for my hands on your skin

If you waiting for what might have been, I'll stay awake

Are you waiting for a new morning, are you waiting for my hands on your skin

If you waiting for what might have been, I'll stay awake

You close your eyes and I'll just drive

"Drive," by Rex Goudie

Danielle kicked the poor defenceless basketball and it soared across the gymnasium floor. "How could I have been so stupid…meet me in the gym tomorrow at four in the afternoon…yeah right," Danielle cursed herself for her stupidity and found another basketball to kick fiercely. She had come to speak with Darius, since it wasn't as if she could just go visit him, he was part of the Rebel Mutants, they'd been suspended from school for a week…, and it had now been three weeks that she'd seen him that night when she joined the X-Men…

Therefore, they set a meeting place...ok so it was more like he sent her a letter that told her to meet him here and she went, hoping to talk some sense into him and get him to come to the X-Men with her and Matthew. But it was now four thirty and he hadn't show any trace of coming. Danielle grumbled, kicked yet another basketball and was just about to give up when Darius walked into the gym and caught the basketball she had just kicked before it hit him in the face.

"Darius?" she asked as she approached him slowly.

"You shouldn't have come," he replied as he dropped the basketball and it rolled away from them.

"What! Why? You're the one that wrote the letter telling me to come! Now you're saying I shouldn't have…what's wrong with you?" she cried angrily.

"I didn't write that letter…," Darius said sadly, shaking his head. "I thought you knew that because it surely wasn't my writing…"

"What do you mean?" inquired Danielle curiously.

Just as Darius was about to answer, the lights in the gym flickered repeatedly and a cold wind blew through the gym.

"Danielle you have to leave now!" exclaimed Darius worriedly, trying to shoo her towards the door.

"Why? I came here to try and get you to do the right thing and I'm not leaving until you come with me to the X-Men!" she shouted defiantly, standing her ground and smiling confidently.

"Because it's a trap…that's why I said I didn't write that letter!" he whispered.

She gasped as the doors clicked and locked, the lights flickered again and the wind became even colder.

"Now Dar you know you aren't supposed to tell the person we're trying to trap that it's a trap…that just takes all the fun out of it…even if it is your favourite little X-Men girl…," said Jeremiah, laughing mischievously and stepping out of the shadows. Jeffrey Spencer stood just behind him, glaring angrily at Danielle.

"Oh Jeremiah it's like I said the first time when you had supposedly cornered me in the alley…you know you can't trap me," she smirked confidently but as she raised her arms and a black aura began to wrap itself around her, Jeremiah laughed and sent tons of little electric bolts in her direction.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed as the electric bolts hit her and she collapsed on the cold gym floor. Jeremiah walked over to her and shook his head at Darius, who looked horrified and wanted to help.

Danielle groaned and tried to push herself up but Jeremiah crouched down beside her and sprayed a watery mist in her face and she collapsed once more, asleep.

(break)

"What do you mean she's gone?" cried Zoey angrily.

"I mean she's gone…all we found in her room was this letter signed by that Darius boy," replied Cari-Anne, handing Zoey the letter. "Unfortunately, we think that the Rebel Mutants have kidnapped Danielle…finally gotten her after all…"

Zoey and the other X-Men kids had raced to Professor Delvar's office as soon as Professor Zachary had told them that Danielle was missing. So the three of them (the two boys were new recruits to the X-Men team) were with the three teachers, trying to find out what had happened.

"So what's it say Zo?" asked Matthew Bolton, his pale grey-blue eyes worried.

He had on a pair of baggy grey-blue cargo pants, a dark grey t-shirt with text on the front – "The opposite of love is not hate, it is envy", and a somewhat puffy, silver vest with dark orange on the inside. His hair was dark grey, straight and layered around his face. He had on black skater shoes, his whole right hand was always wrapped up in a white strap material, and a dark grey, thick-strapped watch was on his left wrist. Matthew, Danielle and Darius had spent their whole childhood together as the best and closest of friends until Darius moved away.

Everyone at the Delvar Academy knew that underneath his shirt and his skin on his back, he concealed large Dragon-like wings that could grow out at his command. Of course it might hurt, be he would be healed instantly because of his ability to regenerate. These were the powers that had made him part of the new X-Men team, the powers that had given him the codename Drake.

"Dear Danielle, how are you? Listen I know it's been three weeks since you found out that I'm back and that I haven't contacted you so…if you wanna talk…meet me in the gym at four today and we'll talk ok? See ya, Darius," Zoey read aloud to them all.

"That sure as hell doesn't sound like something Dar wrote, trust me one this one," said Matthew with certainty, shaking his head.

"So it was a trap then?" asked William Corvin. William wore baggy, light grey cargo pants, a dark green, loose zipper sleeveless with a hood attached and a beige t-shirt with a green border at the sleeves. His hair was short, messy, blond and spiky at the top towards the front. He had on black running shoes, a green & white checkered wristband on his right wrist and a black, thick-strapped watch on his left wrist. William had the mutant ability of super speed and that's why he was part of the new X-Men team, under the codename of Quickflash.

"Of course it was!" exclaimed Zoey, "And for some stupid reason she fell for it! I mean, Matthew said it himself, it doesn't even look like Darius' writing and my sister and Matthew should know that better than anyone else!"

"I think I know why she fell for it…we haven't seen our best friend in two years and the first time she does, she finds out he's on the wrong side. I think maybe she wanted to talk to him and try and convince him to come to the X-Men and that's probably why she neglected to notice that Darius didn't actually write this letter," explained Matthew carefully.

"I guess so…so when are we gonna go save her?" asked Zoey anxiously.

"Though they have taken her to the Rebel Mutant Boarding House…it is very dangerous for you to go there…it seems my brother Terrance has taken all the precautions necessary to stop anyone from rescuing her," answered Professor Delvar sadly, using his telepathy to find Danielle and scan the Boarding House. "We will have to wait and see what happens…"

(break)

"Keep a wary eye on her Pyroflare…that mist should keep her asleep and weakened for another hour or so. If she does wake, that containment box cancels out her power but do not sympathise with her and let her get to you, got it?" Terrance said slowly, giving him orders and Darius nodded.

Terrance left the room and Darius found himself alone in the room, watching the sleeping Danielle through the transparent glass that formed a sort of box around the bed she lay in. _What does he want you for Danielle? What plan has he come up with now…?_

After an hour of switching watches between the three Rebel Mutant boys, Darius found himself on watch once again as Danielle seemed to stir.

"Danielle?" he asked quietly, moving closer to the containment box.

"Where am I?" she questioned.

"You're…you're in a containment box in the Rebel Mutant Boarding House. Remember…the trap?"

"Oh…right," she moaned and she sat up and looked around.

"How're you feeling?" he asked a little worriedly.

"Fine…actually I feel like a complete idiot for falling for such a trap," she paused, looking up at Darius. "I guess I just wanted to talk to you so badly that it didn't register in my mind right away that you hadn't written that letter…"

"Why did you want to talk to me so badly?"

"Um I dunno…maybe because Matt and I haven't seen our best friend in two long years and the first time he shows up…he's our enemy!" she said crossly. "Why?"

"Well I…I can't tell you…not now at least," he said, grinning sheepishly.

"Figures," she muttered. "You know I hate to say this but…if you were a true friend to me and Matt…a true friend Darius…then you'd do what was right and you wouldn't be here…"

Darius was about to answer when the door flung open and Jeremiah came in, surprised yet delighted to see Danielle awake. He turned and noticed the look of sadness on Darius' face.

"Sorry just thought I'd check up on our little prisoner and see if she's awake…since she is…" he walked over to the containment box and pushed a small blue button on the control panel and more of that clear mist was filtered into the box. Danielle tried to cover her mouth and nose with no avail as she flopped onto the bed and fell asleep once more.

Jeremiah smiled and walked back to the door. "Hey Pyroflare, just remember what the boss said alright?" he said before walking out and closing the door.

Darius shook his head sadly and sat down in the chair beside the door, trying to rest. Unfortunately, sleep wouldn't come so he decided to get up and go get a soda down the hall.

_Click!_ Darius opened the soda can and drank most of it. He noticed that the hallway was unbelievably silent as he started to walk back towards Danielle's room. He stopped as he heard whispered conversation in the room to his left and decided to eavesdrop.

"_So everything is going as planned Cyclone?"_

"_Yes boss…according to Sparks and Pyroflare, she's been sleeping soundly the whole time…your plan is going great!"_

"_Good…they don't suspect anything?"_

"_The guys don't have a clue that the mist that's putting her to sleep is monitoring and affecting her powers and thoughts…they really don't realize you're poisoning her mind!"_

Darius held his breath as Cyclone said those last words…_poisoning her mind…affecting her powers and thoughts…what plan has he come up with this time and why does he need Danielle?_ He thought frantically. He sped up his pace and quietly rushed back to Danielle's room. He closed the door and looked at his sleeping friend. _It's decided…you can't escape because that box cancels out your powers and you'll be asleep for another hour so…I'm gonna get you out of here Danielle…_

He walked over to the glass case and placed his hand against it. Flames instantly covered his hand and heated up the glass where it was. The heat of the fire melted the glass and as Darius concentrated, the flames and heat expanded the hole until it was large enough for someone to fit through it.

He cradled Danielle in his arms and crept out into the hall. It was still as silent and empty as before so he quietly made his way to the garage. He only had a few minutes of drive ahead of him but it was better than walking. He chose Cyclone's black corvette. _This'll teach him to mess with my friends…_ Darius thought to himself.

"Keys, keys, keys, keys, keys, where in the hell are his keys?" he whispered angrily as he searched through all the keys that had been shoved into a small drawer. "Damn it I can't find 'em anywhere! Oh well…might as well just make one. He grabbed a random key from the drawer and walked back to the car. As he sat down and tried to push in the key, he heated the metal and then cooled it so that it took the shape of the car key slot. He turned on the car and drove down the Boarding House driveway.

(break)

"WHAT!" screamed Terrance furiously. "SHE'S GONE!"

"Um…yes boss and we think…actually we're pretty sure that Darius helped her escape because the glass from her containment box was melted," replied Cyclone, shaking slightly.

"Besides, I saw the look of regret on his face when we captured her and when he was talking to her earlier," laughed Jeremiah.

"This is no joke Sparks so I do not know what you find funny!" cried Terrance and Jeremiah stopped laughing and regained control.

"Shall we go after him boss?" asked Cyclone.

"Of course we will!" he snapped.

"We boss?" inquired Cyclone curiously.

"WELL I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU IDIOTS GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME!" he yelled and stormed out of the room, Sparks and Cyclone on his heels.

(break)

Darius looked up at the tall metal gate and moaned. "Great, another problem…I'm not gonna blast through it 'cuz that'd be rude…" he glanced to his right and spotted a large tree whose branches loomed over the tall iron fence.

He smirked and lifted Danielle up like a piggyback. Even though she was sleeping, she held on tightly and Darius made sure she was secure as he started climbing. He reached the end of the large overhanging branch and began to climb down when a miniature bolt of lightning struck the branch and it cracked, hurling Darius and Danielle at the ground. Darius shifted himself midair so that he landed on his stomach and broke Danielle's fall.

He moaned and got up again, picking up Danielle and wiping the blood from the lip he'd just bitten as he hit the ground. He looked behind him and coming his way was the big dark green pick up truck that belonged to Jeremiah. Only this time, Cyclone was driving, Terrance was in the passenger's seat and Jeremiah stood up in the back of the pick up, grinning confidently.

Darius shook his head and ran as fast as he could towards the Delvar Academy. Suddenly roots shot out of the ground at his feet, took Danielle from his grasp and wrapped around him.

"Aw come on, can't anything go right just this once?" cried Darius angrily as the three X-Men kids ran towards him.

Darius groaned and concentrating, he created flames that burned at the roots around him and scorched them away. He landed and took a step towards Danielle only to be knocked down swiftly by William who sped by and kicked him, then sped back to the team who had reached Danielle know. He collapsed on the ground and groaned in pain, forcing himself to get up again.

He started towards Zoey and William, who were making sure Danielle was alright, to try and explain that he meant them no harm when Matthew landed in front of him, blocking his path.

"Darius," said Matthew slowly.

"Dude c'mon…you don't actually think I'm here to hurt any of you guys? I'm bringing Danielle back!" Darius cried defensively.

"And that's why the Rebel Mutants are hiding in the trees just over there?" Zoey spat.

Darius turned around and gasped as he saw that she was right. Sparks and Cyclone stepped out from amidst the trees and smirked. Darius glanced at the X-Men, who were focused on Danielle and sighed. He ran to the middle of the frontcourt as Jeremiah sent electric bolts their way and he created a thin wall of flame between the two groups that swallowed the incoming threat. Angered for different reasons, the two Rebel Mutant boys and the three X-Men kids raced towards each other and a battle began.

Zoey focused and made vines wrap around Cyclone, who tried to shred them with sheer force, terrible gusts of wind and small tornadoes. Jeremiah found only frustration as he tried repeatedly to electrocute William, who ran out of the way every time just before they hit him. Matthew did not need his powers to keep Darius from doing anything because he just stood there, watching everyone, thinking about the mess he'd caused. Then he took a deep breath and tried to stop the fighting with no success. In fact, he only made it worse because everyone was now shouting and arguing on top of using their powers to try to hurt each other.

"You're one of us Pyroflare why did you bring her back to them?" asked Cyclone sending a powerful tornado in his direction.

"Because she's my friend and I overheard you and Terrance talking…I know what you were doing to her with that mist and stuff!" cried Darius angrily, jumping to the ground and avoiding the tornado by and inch or two.

"If you're her friend then why'd you let them kidnap her and why in the world didn't you come to us when you come back? I don't exactly call that being the best of friends!" exclaimed Matthew, he tried to hit Darius but as soon as he made contact with Darius's shoulder, he burnt his hand. His hand incidentally healed a few moments afterwards.

"I couldn't come back! I did what I did to protect you guys!"

"Oh yeah like that line hasn't been used a million times before!"

"I'm serious Matt…why don't you trust me?"

"I don't trust you because you're with the Rebel Mutants and you led them right here! You probably just used Danielle as a decoy to get to all of us!

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because you're a traitor Darius!"

During this heated conversation, the two boys kept doing the same thing; Matthew would try to attack Darius, recoil in pain because he'd be burned only to heal up and try again.

"STOOOOOOOOOP!" screamed someone crossly from behind the group. The whole group was suddenly frozen in their tracks as a black aura wrapped around each of them.

Danielle walked up to them, sadness reflected in her eyes.

"Look at yourselves…you're supposed to be friends...instead you're fighting and hurting each other. I know Sparks and Cyclone are from the Rebel Mutants but they're still people and fellow mutants and they weren't doing anything wrong. As for the X-Men…you guys are acting like children and animals…," sighed Danielle sadly, shaking her head. She separated the Rebel Mutants from the X-Men kids, and left Darius in the middle, but she didn't let anyone but Darius go from her spell.

"Now we're gonna settle this like the semi-adults we are," she turned to Matthew and asked him, "Why did you guys attack Darius?"

"Because he's with the Rebel Mutants and a traitor! He was our best friend Danielle and he betrayed us by joining the Rebel Mutants and not even telling us he was back!" he answered angrily.

"As true as that may be Matt, he brought me back. I asked him to do the right thing and he did…and don't tell me it might've been a trap because in case you hadn't noticed, the Rebel Mutants were after Darius for running away and were calling him a traitor!" she spat crossly. "How blind were you three to not see that?"

Zoey, Matthew and William exchanged glances and shook their head, ashamed of having jumped to such a conclusion. Jeremiah and Jeffrey kept quiet as Terrance crept up behind Danielle. The X-Men kids were staring at the ground in embarrassment and Darius was looking away. He turned and noticed Terrance just as he was about grab Danielle and reacted swiftly.

A ball of flame shot from his hand and hit Terrance square in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Danielle stifled a scream as the flame ball shot past her head and she whirled around to see Terrance lying on the ground. She lost her concentration and everyone else was let go from her spell. Jeremiah and Jeffrey rushed to Terrance's side and glared angrily at the people around them.

Cyclone raised the winds and lifted the three of them into the air.

"You'll pay for this one day Hunter!" spat Jeremiah before the ball of wind sped off, pulling the pickup truck and corvette in the mix as it went by.

Zoey, William and Matthew stared at Darius incredulously as he shook his head and started walking away. The three of them were in such shock that they just let him go and did nothing to stop him. Danielle muttered to herself, annoyed at her friend's behaviours and ran up behind Darius.

"Where are you going?" she said smiling.

"I got from the fight and the lovely welcoming committee that no one wants me here…"

"Hello, aren't you forgetting me? I don't want you to go…what do you think I've been trying to do for the past three weeks?"

He turned to face her and smiled. "I know Danielle but…your friend, your sister and even my other best friend don't want me to be here…"

"Well tough because they'll just have to deal with it!" she cried defiantly, smiling widely. She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the others.

"I think that he's proven that he doesn't want anything to do with Terrance and the Rebel Mutants anymore even though he didn't need to. Now, you two are going to apologize for not trusting him," she stated assertively to her sister and William.

"We're sorry Darius," said Zoey and William in unison.

"Now," she said with a hint of annoyance that made Darius hold back a laugh, she turned to face Matthew. "You…you are going to apologize for being one of the worst friends ever and for being such a jerk!"

"I…Darius I'm really sorry I…I really don't know what came over me…just know that even though I may do some pretty stupid things, we're always friends," said Matthew smiling and holding out his hand to Darius. Darius smirked and took it and the two boys preformed a secret handshake that they and Danielle had created as kids.

"With that said I think it's time you asked Darius to join the X-Men team," said Professor Delvar as he stepped around the side of the Academy building, Cari-Anne and Zachary close behind him.

Danielle happily turned to Darius but before she could say anything, he smiled and said, "I'd be honoured."

_Author's Notes_

_This is actually one of my favourite chapters only because of the bond established and explored between Darius and Danielle…I kind of used the bond I have with one of my childhood friends for it. Actually…almost all the characters' bonds and personalities are either designed after a character in X-Men Evolution or in my life. Anyway that's all for now, comments welcome!_


	3. Chapter 3: Spectre

Chapter Three: Spectre

I've got my things packed, my favorite pillow, got my sleeping bag, climb out the window

All the pictures and pain, I left behind, all the freedom and fame, I've gotta find

And I wonder, how long it'll take them to notice that I'm gone

And I wonder, how far it'll take me

To run away, It don't make any sense to me

Run away, This life makes no sense to me

Run away, It don't make any sense to me

Run away, It don't make any sense to me

I was just trying to be myself, Have it your way I'll meet you in hell

It's all these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away, It's hypocritical of you

Do as you say not as you do, I'll never be your perfect girl, I've got to run away

I'm too young to be taken seriously, But I'm too old to believe, All this hypocrisy

And I wonder, how long it'll take them to see my bed is made

And I wonder, If I was a mistake, I might have nowhere left to go

But I know that I cannot go home, These words are strapped inside my head

Tell me to run before I'm dead, Chase the rainbows in my mind

And I will try to stay alive, Maybe the world will know one day, why won't you help me run away

It don't make any sense to me, Run away

This life makes no sense to me, Run away

I could sing for change, On a Paris street, Be a red light dancer, In New Orleans

I could start again, To the family, I could change my name, Come and go as I please

In the dead of night, You'll wonder where I've gone, Wasn't it you, Wasn't it you

Wasn't it you that made me run away, I was just trying to be myself

Have it your way I'll meet you in hell, All these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away

It's hypocritical of you, Do as you say not as you do, Never be your perfect girl

I've got to run away, It don't make any sense to me

Run away, This life makes no sense to me

Run away, It don't make any sense to me

Run away, It don't make any sense to me

This life makes no sense to me, It don't make no sense to me

It don't make any sense to me, Life don't make any sense to me

"Runaway" – Pink

"Oh I hate camping in tents! I'd rather be camping in a trailer…where there's less bugs!" whined Zoey. She sat at the picnic table, putting on sunscreen. She was wearing a pair of pink shorts that were mid-thigh length and a white strapless top.

"Oh quit complaining sis! We're doing all the work anyway!" cried Danielle, slinging the cord for the close line over her shoulder and tying it to the nearest tree. She was wearing a pair of baggy, low-ride, faded camouflage pants, a sky-blue tank top and her beige cap was sideways on her head. She tied the other end of the clothesline to an opposite tree and walked back to help the guys set up the tents.

Darius and Matthew were setting up the big tent that they and William were going to share. William was placing the lights on various trees around their camping space. Darius wore baggy jean shorts that went down to his knees and a red t-shirt. Matthew wore his usual baggy grey-blue cargo pants but he'd unzipped the part from his knees down to make shorts out of them and a dark orange t-shirt. William was wearing brown surfer shorts and a green t-shirt.

Danielle grabbed the second tent and started to set it up on her own. This was harder that she thought it would be as one person was supposed to stand and hold one side while the other person hit in the pegs everywhere else.

"Need some help Danielle?" laughed Darius and Matthew laughed with him.

"No I think I've got it," she replied in a 'watch-and-learn' manner. She focused and a shadowy, ghost-like figure stood opposite her, holding up the tent and she walked around, levitated each peg, and drove them into the ground. The ghost-like figured let go of the tent and high-fived Danielle as the tent stood straight and perfectly set up.

"That's cheating!" whine Matthew childishly.

"No it's not…I simply created someone to help that would replace my unhelpful sister!" protested Danielle. "As for using my powers to make it go quicker…I've already done all my sister's work so I figured I might as well get this over with so I can take a break!"

The five teens laughed at this and sat down around the campfire that Darius had just ignited by firing a small ball of fire into a pile of sticks and logs William had brought from the forest.

As they sat there and told different campfire stories, Danielle was deeply lost in thought. Suddenly her head snapped up and she looked around the darkness surrounding them.

"What's wrong Danielle?" asked Darius worriedly, having noticed the change in her behaviour.

"I just…I just sensed something…it was really weird but I'm not sure what it is," said Danielle shaking her head. "Never mind…"

"You sure?" questioned Darius.

"Yeah…I think I'm just being a little paranoid…," laugh Danielle. "I just have to get used to the surroundings."

(break)

Unfortunately, in the middle of the night, she felt the presence again and awoke, startled. _What in the world is wrong with me? Why can't I just have a normal week off from abnormality and relax while camping?_ Danielle thought angrily. She sighed and got up, making sure not to wake up Zoey, sleeping soundly beside her in her dark pink sleeping bag.

She pulled on a pair of black silk pyjama bottoms over her sky blue cotton shorts and grabbed her sky blue zipper hoodie to wear over her black t-shirt. She zipped up the tent screen and door and pulled up the zipper of her hoodie.

Danielle walked down the little dirt path and down to the lake, where the moon was reflecting beautifully on the water's surface. Everything was so silent and she was so relaxed and comfortable in the moonlight that when a stick cracked behind her she jumped.

"Sorry didn't mean to scare you…um…Danielle…" said Darius as he walked up beside her and placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Darius you feeling ok?" she asked, seeing as the tone with which he had said those words was as if he was searching to remember who she was.

"Yeah I'm fine…uh why do you ask?" he said a little less confusedly than before.

"Oh…no reason…" she said slowly.

"Nice night isn't it?"

"Yeah it is…I love the night…I guess it's because of my powers and all…I've never really liked that sun that much. It's funny because I can remember when you and Matthew used to tease me about being a vampire when we were kids. You remember that?" asked Danielle laughing a little.

"Yeah…those were fun times eh? The three of us…being kids with no care and just enjoying life," replied Darius, looking up at the stars. Then, he added, a little more dazedly than before, "…never knowing the real dangers out there and the truth behind many things…"

"Pardon me Darius?" asked Danielle, looking away from the moon and up to Darius. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Uh….nothing…never mind!" said Darius hurriedly. "So I guess you couldn't sleep then?"

"Well I was fine until I felt that weird presence again and it woke me up…it's weird because Professor Delvar has taught me how to search for the center point of things like that but…this time I just…I can't seem to find it."

"Hmm…that is pretty weird…"

"What about you?"

"Couldn't sleep either…I just laid there and tried to get to sleep but I heard a noise earlier so I went to investigate."

"Did you find anything?"

"You," laughed Darius.

"Oh! Sorry then…I mean if I woke you up!" exclaimed Danielle apologetically.

"That's ok…"

"Well…I think I've walked off the insomnia," said Danielle, yawning. "So I'm gonna go back and try to go back to sleep…you coming?"

"Uh…I'm just walk around a bit more but don't worry, I'll go back and try to fall asleep later."

"Ok, goodnight Darius," smiled Danielle.

"Goodnight Danielle," said Darius before she turned and walked back up the dirt path.

She went back inside the tent to find her sister exactly as she had left her, sleeping soundly. She took off the silk pants and sky blue hoodie, and snuggled back into her navy blue sleeping bag. Only one thought crossed her mind before she drifted back to sleep. _Darius was not acting himself…well he was but there was something about him that wasn't like him…I just can't figure out what…_

(break)

Over the next two days, Darius wasn't the only one not acting like themselves. Matthew, William and Zoey all had their moments in the day, not at the same time, where they weren't themselves and had an out-of-character moment.

She decided that she could not confide this information in any of them because they were the ones acting weird and she knew that it had something to do with that bizarre presence that she kept feeling. However, whenever she tried to reach out and pinpoint it, she couldn't.

Therefore, she sat alone down by the lake, contemplating what was going on and what she was going to do about it. "It has to be a mutant that can control people's minds!" she exclaimed after a long period of time. "But his or her powers don't exactly let me get to them…oh I wish I knew what to do but I don't really think its purposes are harmful."

"How come you're talking to yourself Danielle?" asked Matthew sitting down beside her.

"Oh um it's nothing Matt!" she cried.

"Are you sure about that? I'm worried about you because you've been acting different ever since we got here," said Matthew worriedly, sitting closer to her and placing an arm around her.

"I should be asking you the same thing…," she replied, slipping out of his grasp like a ghost.

"What do you mean Danielle?" questioned Matthew in a calm voice as he slid closer to her again. "You know, I've just realized how pretty you are when you're confused…"

"What? This is so not you…this has to be that mutant that has the ability to control other people's minds!"

"You sound like a crazy person Danielle…" laughed Matthew or whoever was controlling him.

"Oh really?" asked Danielle, knowing that if she was going to find out who this mutant was she was going to have to outsmart it.

"Yes…I've only just realized that I think I've fallen for my childhood friend…after all the years and things we've been through…," smiled Matthew sweetly.

_Yuck! I know this isn't Matthew now…sure Matt was straightforward with his thoughts but…if he did like me then he'd never say it like that!_ thought Danielle. _Time for me to outsmart the smartass hiding inside my friend's mind…now to tell Darius to get over here…_ she thought as she used her telepathy to tell Darius to get over here quickly…

"Maybe you're right…the again you've always been right about anything throughout our childhood…," Danielle paused and looked up at Matthew. "Like a year ago when Darius and I we're planning to steal my brother's car before his date with that stupid girly Meredith. Then you were like, 'no you guys, your older brother Lee likes this girl and even if we don't, we should respect him and who he chooses to date.' So we went with what you said and now he's happily married to her! Remember that?"

"Yeah…I guess I'm just the voice of reason…" laughed Matthew.

"What are you talking about Danielle? Your brother is only nineteen …he's dating the girl which you totally like named Allison and I wasn't even here last year!" cried Darius walking out from behind the trees to complain.

Danielle smiled at Matthew and got up, walking over to stand beside Darius. The look of horror and shock on Matthew's face made Danielle laugh and Darius stared at her, confused.

"Danielle what's going on? Why did you tell that fake story to Matt…wait a minute, Matt why did you say you remembered it?" cried Darius, becoming more confused by the minute.

"Remember that presence I told you about on the first day we got here?" asked Danielle, gaze unwavering from Matthew even though her questioned was directed at Darius.

"Yeah…what about it?"

"It's a mutant that has the ability to control people's minds…I think…and he or she had been controlling all of you guys for the past few days since we got here, only at different times of the day. When Matthew started talking to me a few minutes ago…I knew it wasn't really him…so I thought I'd catch the mutant in the act by getting telling him a story Matthew would know as either true or false and have someone else who knew the same, like you, to be here to catch his mistake," beamed Danielle proudly.

Darius smiled at her and turned back to the impersonated Matthew. "Ok…it's over for you mind-controller…now let our friend go and show yourself!"

Matthew smiled and suddenly his eyes rolled upwards and he flopped onto the ground as a ghostly figure floated up from him and landed beside him. The boy looked their age and had radiant golden-brown eyes. He wore a pair of blue jeans, a long, white t-shirt with a yellow line down each sleeve and two at the bottom and had a tiny, silver piercing in each ear. His hair was short, black and his bangs were a bit spiked at the front. He had on black skater shoes with a gold lining and a white wristband with a gold-coloured skull on his right wrist.

"Hi…I'm the mutant that's been taking over your friends' minds lately. I apologize for having caused you any trouble," he said apologetically to Danielle. "I just get kind of lonely out here when people actually come around here, which is rare, I don't know why I do that but…I feel less lonely."

Danielle sighed and smiled at the boy sweetly. "My name is Danielle Matthews, this is my friend Darius Hunter and the guy whose mind you were just in is Matthew Bolton, our childhood friend. The others are my sister Zoey Matthews and our friend William Corvin…but you already knew all our names right?" she asked, still smiling. When he nodded, she continued, "We're mutants like you but…well we're the X-Men, I don't know if you've heard of them."

"I have…" said the boy nodding again. "My name's Troy Carmichael…or Spectre, whichever you like…"

Darius laughed a little and held out his hand to the boy. "Nice to meet you Troy."

"You too," replied Troy amicably.

_Do you think we should invite him to come with us…you know, back to the Academy?_ Danielle's voice rang clear in Darius' mind. He nodded and looked at Troy. "You know…we live in this big mansion thing and there's loads more mutants like us…you don't have to be part of the X-Men team to stay there but…if you're saying you're all alone out here then, why don't you come back with us?"

"Really?" questioned Troy, his eyes lighting up. When Darius and Danielle nodded he smiled, "Thanks…oh and sorry again for all the trouble I've caused!"

"That's ok…" said Danielle returning the smile.

"Ohhh…man my head hurts…" Matthew pushed himself into a sitting position and looked around. "What am I doing here and who is he?" Matthew asked confused.

"It's a long story Matt but I'll explain everything when we get back to camp and to the others…c'mon," said Danielle, holding back a laugh.

Darius helped Matthew up and the four kids walked back to camp where they sat down around a campfire and listen intently to Danielle's story.

After their week of camping was over, the five X-Men kids plus Troy traveled back to the Academy and after a few Danger Sessions, Troy was made an official member of the X-Men team and kept the codename Spectre.

_Author's Notes_

_Hmmm…what can I even begin to say about this one? Well, for one thing, it was another short chapter. BTW to anyone who wonders because I know a friend of mine did, nothing happens between Danielle & Troy, he doesn't like her or anything he was kind of just playing around.  
That's all I can say about this chapter for now, bye!_


End file.
